How The World Changes
by Lexipoo-Panda
Summary: After 10 years, Gareki is finally making his appearance back on Air Ship 2. Will he get his beloved Nai or will Karoku take him? Will he be welcomed back into Air Ship 2 like he once was or will he be outcasted like the rest of his life?
1. The Return

Gareki was gone for so long. Captain Four-Eyes was right in saying it would take years for him to accomplish the Academy, but that was nothing for him. What really ate at him all those years in the Academy was the safety of Nai and that damn Karoku taking advantage of him. Though Nai trusted him, he couldn't do anything unless the situation prevailed, but he also couldn't do anything because he wasn't there.

He was always feeling nervousness when he went to classes or when he was studying because his mind always retracted to Nai. He had no way to contact Air Ship 2 or the people inside it, so he had to trust that time and luck would be on his side.

After a long day of training and classes and studying in the library, he walked sullenly back to his dorm room, opening the door and closing it immediately behind him. He sighed. His roommate was there, laying in the bed, "sup," he said softly, not knowing if the other boy was sleeping or not.

"Back so soon to cuddle little Nyanperona?" he teased with a smirk on his face,

"Shut up, man," Gareki waved him away and plopped his bag down on the floor.

"Ah, so you're here for your Niji train wreck then?" the other boy chuckled and grinned at him. Gareki, having no comebacks flipped him off and shook his head. He would be lying if he said he hadn't come back to cuddle with the stuffed animal that Tsukumo had made him. No one other than his roommate and the people witnessing him moving in saw the train wreck, but he loved it, it still made him think of Nai. He had been thinking a lot about Nai, it had been 10 years since he'd last seen Nai and he constantly thought about what the young child had changed into and in the next week or so, Gareki would be acing that test and putting in to Air Ship 2 and he'd be able to see his friends once again. He'd be able to see Nai, again.

Gareki collapsed into bed, since he had left, he had buffed out a little with training and he grew taller than what he used to be. He had to assume he was as tall as Karoku now and that was something he could live with. As long as he was _never _shorter than him, he could compete for Nai.

He barely met the guy, but with what the imposter had put them through, he had to wonder just how much of the imposter _was _Karoku now. Was he still that manipulator or did he change when the imposter went away? Was he being manipulated by the imposter? There were so many questions and yet in these 10 years, he hadn't heard anything that had happened and he hoped everyone was okay.

His hand reached out for the Niji and he cuddled it to his stomach, his back to his roommate so the boy wouldn't see his vulnerability, though he knew the other boy would suspect it. He had training in the morning, he had to make sure to get enough sleep to help his stamina last.

A week passed and finally he was able to take the standardized test and he knew he passed it with flying colors. He knew that he would be able to see Nai again and this time for sure.

With a huge smile on his face he walked back to his dorm to find his roommate again, "done already?" he asked, his voice was smug and happy.

"Looks like someone didn't get their cheerios pissed in today," the other smirked at Gareki and sat up a little bit, "I was done at the twenty minute mark, guess what, buddy, I'm getting out of here."

"Oh so it wasn't too long after you that I finished," Gareki grinned, "I'm getting out of here too," he walked over to his bed and looked happily at his Niji plush. He was coming home, Nai.

So after the scores were handed out, Gareki almost fainted when he noticed that he got a near perfect. He was a lieutenant, but he wondered if he could apply to Air Ship 2 with his status, since they had 2 lieutenants. He chewed on his bottom lip and thought for a moment. He had to take the chance.

Finally when he was allowed to go, he definitely told his superiors to get him paperwork for Air Ship 2. He wouldn't let them say no, but after checking, they noticed that there was a lieutenant position open. A peg of fear speared through his heart, but he put that out of his mind when he realized that he was going to have to figure it out when he got back

He was so excited to go home. He really couldn't handle it. There was a tightness I his stomach and his heart was pounding. What if they didn't see him as the friend as they did when he was younger, when they were all younger? What if he didn't take to them like he had before? What if, what if?

He was psyching himself out for nothing, he knew he was, but he just couldn't handle the stress. He had never returned back to someone or something that could feel for _him_. He could always leave and come back and no one would have realized that he had left, or no one was ever there to miss him. He wasn't used to the anxiety of friends waiting for him.

As he was told to pack up his belongings, he couldn't help but reminisce on the times he had here. He couldn't help but think about the friends he had made here. Some of them would follow him, and some of them would leave for different areas of the world and then some of them would have to go back and train and learn some more before they could continue on. Or they would have to leave Circus all together and never have their dream become reality.

Gareki didn't like to think about that, but he couldn't help but stall just a little bit more to stay here a little longer. When he was completely done with his things, he picked up his stuffed animals. The Nyanperona had a chain to connect it to his bag, but the Niji didn't, so he carried it close to him. He didn't want to lose it.

Boarding the ship, looking around, it was much different than the first one he was one, it was loud, but it was small, so it really didn't matter what ship he was on, just as long as it took him to the place he wanted. A question that Nai had asked him when he was still on Air Ship 2 pressed to the forefront of his memory.

_If you could go to one place in the world, where would you go?_

'Where would I go, huh, Nai?' He thought to himself with a smirk on his face, 'back to wherever you are.'

He felt the ship take flight, and he got completely more anxious than he was minutes ago. He was worrying on his bottom lip and fidgeting a little bit before he looked out the window.

Upon arrival, the sheep surrounded him and baa-ed at him. He smirked and chuckled, stating a "glad to be back," and that's when he heard his name.


	2. Evil Upon Us

Gareki heard his name, it lilted across the little sheep and along with the stagnant air to his ears. He stepped off the platform and walked forward, his eyes looking up at someone standing in the doorway. It wasn't a kid's voice anymore, at least from what he heard, it wasn't a kid's voice any longer.

Then he was falling to the ground because someone had slammed their body into his own. He landed with an, "oof," and then he chuckled, looking at the person that was clinging to him, but it wasn't Nai that he was looking for, he didn't see white hair nuzzling his chest, he saw unruly blonde hair and a torn shirt, and a small little snowman bouncing after him, "Yogi?"

"Gareki!" he said happily, pulling away, "you're back, you're finally back!" he bounced and grinned happily at Gareki, standing the both of them up, "it's good to see you, we missed you."

Gareki smiled, "so what you're in your thirties now and you're still one with your inner child?"

"That inner child isn't going away, ever," he smiled happily, standing tall in front of him. Gareki shook his head, looking around him, searching really.

"Where's Nai?" he asked, almost hopefully. Yogi looked down at him and waved him along.

"He's eating, man he'll be so happy to see you!" he bounced and they were almost running to the eating area. Yogi was still a very happy person, though he started to have a little bit of scruff now along his jawline and he wasn't as lanky as he used to be. He peeked around the boy and saw Nai, he could finally see the boy and a huge smile spread on his face. Nai had the same haircut and the same purple flyaways on each side of his head, his eyes were as bright as he remembered but he was finally wearing pants, finally wearing real people clothing.

"Nai," Gareki said softly, walking into the eating area. The boy looked up at his name and the biggest cutest smile spread on his face. He had to be at least 20 now and when he stood up, he was still shorter than Gareki and that was something he enjoyed a lot. The smaller boy ran towards him and hugged him tightly around the waist and he returned it, burying his face in his hair, holding the boy to him.

"Nai," Gareki heard another's voice and he looked up before the younger did. He saw a blue haired boy standing across the way. He felt Yogi tense behind him and Nai pulled away, still completely innocent to look at him. Karoku. Gareki grimaced, having a sort of stare off with the boy, "that's enough."

Gareki walked toward him, narrowing his eyes, "you don't control him," he growled in his face, "I'm going to take him and we're going to talk," he walked away and grabbed Nai by the hand, "we're gonna go talk, how's that?" he asked with a small smile, "I want to know what you've been doing these past ten years."

"What did you say to Karoku?" he asked, looking innocently up at him. Gareki patted him on the head.

"Nothing you have to concern yourself, okay?" he asked. Nai nodded and smiled.

"I missed you, Gareki," He smiled happily with a small little bounce. Gareki took them to their old bedroom, sitting down with him.

"I missed you too, little Nai," he smiled at the boy and nodded his head, "so tell me everything you did for the past ten years."

Nai grew up so well and he still stayed so innocent. He listened to what he had to say but even he could only handle so much talk about Karoku. He silently wished that he had been that big a part of his life as the other had. He still didn't trust him. He had to talk to Yogi about all that as well.

"But but," he said when he realized that he was talking a lot about Karoku, "tell me about you, how was the Academy?" he asked, his eyes sparkling, "did you use the stuffed animals that Tsukumo and Yogi gave you?" he bounced, "oh!" he looked at his wrist, "Karoku said you could have this!" he offered the bracelet and finally Gareki took it, putting it on his wrist with a smile at him.

Gareki went on and told him about the training and the studying and everything he had to do, it was grueling, but he never lost faith. He said that he did use the stuffed animals, and now with the bracelet, he would never lose a battle. Nai squealed and clapped his hands, how could a 20 year old squeal, one may ask? Well he didn't know, but somehow Nai made it possible.

"Guess what?" he asked the smaller boy, a smile on his face.

"What?" he asked excitedly.

"I'm staying on the ship, I'll be here forever," he smiled.

Nai launched himself at Gareki and hugged him again all the while exclaiming, "yaaaay!" Gareki hugged him back and offered a small laugh, kissing his head and that's when Nai pulled back and blinked at him, "why'd you do that?"

Gareki was blushing and he looked away, "um, it was nothing," he grumbled and stood up, "I have to go talk to Yogi," he pulled Nai to a standing position, "you should go back and finish your food," he walked out and mentally kicked himself for rushing something that wasn't even a thing yet. He walked away from Nai to find Yogi.

After minutes of looking he finally found his target and called his name, "Yogi," he was back to the stoic Gareki, disinterest always rooted on his face.

The blonde turned around and looked at him, "Gareki, what's up?"

"I noticed the tension and awkwardness with Karoku in the lunchroom," he answered, "what's up with that?"

Yogi grimaced, "he's got Nai wrapped around his little finger. We can't get rid of him without risking Nai as well," he sighed and looked out the window, his jaw clenching, "he's not right, Gareki," he looked at the other.

"We have to watch him, he could hurt Nai," he bit his thumb nail.

"Don't you think I know that?" he sighed, "in other news, I put in for the ship. I'm first lieutenant now," he smirked, "sorry, Yogi," he pat his head and Yogi whined.

Gareki was just about to say something before he heard orders barked out by Captain Four-Eyes. There was a mission to do. Gareki was ready.


End file.
